Of Bloodlust and Dragons
by Rykfiction
Summary: AU setting. FX pairing. Filia longs to fufill her destiny as the daughter of a legendary hero.


Disclaimer: I do not own Slayers.  
  
Prologue:  
  
"Winter, cold and gray as my soul it is these days  
  
And purple, limped aside as it pawned my crown away"  
  
The lightning in the far distance cracked angrily like an iridescent whip. The rumbling of thunder was followed by a sheet of rain that quickly closed in on the two combatants who fought on in the quad inside the Luatha Krii. The swirling rainfall hindered the blonde's vision as she waited for the angry strike of the ancient dragon, whose saffron eyes were drawn into such an intense hate, it made the hilt in her hand quiver slightly, striking a sad chord in the very depths of her spirit.  
  
"Red rants and raves, it comes in waves once calmed by you  
  
And black always asks me, "Ain't it great to be alone?"  
  
Their blades met in a furious shower of sparks. Val, with his superior strength, easily held her in place. Filia leapt back several paces, the rain drenching her blue training uniform to her body and slowing down her movement more than she would have preferred. Gritting her teeth, the golden dragon rushed him this time, the tip of her sword pointing towards the ground until she was a mere few feet from him before wrenching it upward violently at his torso. He caught her blow easily and thrust her away from him, sending her almost sprawling to the hard ground.  
  
"And the blue bleeds through all  
  
Yes the blue seeps through all."  
  
Her ebony boots slid in the wet gravel with the momentum of his blow. She struggled desperately to maintain her balance and focus. He feinted and then jabbed the point of his larger sword at her viciously, driving her back. Swinging her standard student issued sword hard to the left as she would her mace, she was able to push him off with her own brand of determination. Filia's breath left her in short gasps as Val jumped back several feet from her, his grin reminding her of a hungry piranha. The muscles in her jaw tightened as he held out his hand and made a mocking gesture for her to come at him as if all this were just a diversion to him. Angrily, she accepted the challenge and charged once more.  
  
"Yellow, waking warm and reminding me of home  
  
And orange, warm and changing me, leaves are letting go"  
  
Val kept up with her enraged pace, just toying with her as if she were a child swinging a stick at him. He didn't expect the angry snap-kick to the stomach. It caught him full on and sent him staggering back a step, with his free arm coming down tight against his abdomen. Filia followed her advantage with an uppercut and kick to his unguarded left ribcage. As he regained his balance after her onslaught, he felt the blood on his face with his fingertips and his nostrils flared angrily. He glared at her, fire- based magic forming on his curling fist. She was barely able to lift her sword and block the unexpected swirling fireball that he sent barreling towards her.  
  
"Green creeps between me, wanting all I've ever known  
  
And white holds me tight and whispers, "You are not alone"  
  
The impact sent her flying back violently, crashing hard against the ground. Staggering to her hands and knees, she coughed, tasting blood in her mouth. Her whole body shuddered in protest as she tried to get back to her feet. Filia's heart almost stopped beating when she saw his lengthened shadow shorten. She looked up to see him glaring down at her with his malicious smile with his sword held high over his head. Val's sword whipped through the rain and she rolled to the side towards where her weapon had fallen, but not before the tip of his weapon slashed an angry wound across her silken left cheek. He wanted to kill her, she realized fearfully. "These constantly changing colors I swear is never me  
  
But from further back I see my grand painting"  
  
Fury engulfed her soul as she felt the blood on her cheek seeping out and then being washed away by the heavy rainfall. Grabbing the hilt, bent on one knee, fiercely coming to her feet, she drove her own blade up and cut an angry slash into Val's right cheek. In the process, she severed an aqua lock of hair and they both watched in dead silence as the hair landed in a small whirling puddle. Then almost as if in slow motion, sapphire eyes met gold. The angry roar of dragons could be heard all the way from the quad into the halls of Krii.  
  
"Winter, cold and gray as my soul it is these days." 


End file.
